FC Cincinnati moved closer to securing a spot in the Major League Soccer playoffs with a 2-0 victory over D.C. United on Saturday in Washington. The win marked Cincinnati’s second triumph over D.C. in just four days, a rare scheduling occurrence caused by the postponement of a match originally set for September 5 due to inclement weather.

Evander was instrumental in the outcome, scoring a striking goal and providing an assist. Tom Barlow also contributed with a goal as Cincinnati improved their record to 11-11-9, accumulating 42 points in the Eastern Conference standings. Meanwhile, D.C. United fell to 7-12-12 with 33 points after the defeat.

Goalkeeper Roman Celentano earned his third clean sheet of the season for Cincinnati, making two routine saves during the match. This was his first shutout since April 25, when the team kept Red Bull New York scoreless. Despite the recent success against D.C. United, Cincinnati had struggled earlier in the season, winning only one of their previous nine matches (1-5-3) prior to this back-to-back win. The team had also conceded 71 goals, the highest total in the Eastern Conference.

D.C. United’s goalkeeper Sean Johnson managed one save but was unable to prevent the loss. The defeat marked a continued downturn for D.C., who have won just two of their last 14 games (2-7-5). As a result, the team slipped below the playoff cutoff line after spending a significant portion of the season within postseason contention in the East.